How to request and review a SOC 2 report for a SaaS CRM

# How to request and review a SOC 2 report for a SaaS CRM

This topic explains why a SOC 2 report matters for CRM procurement and practical steps to request and assess one from a vendor. The guidance below is based on the security and compliance signals observed on the client’s main page (AES-256 and SOC 2 references) and is framed as general educational material—procurement must request the vendor's actual report for verification. Source: https://www.pipedrive.com/.

Key points to request from the vendor:

• Ask for the most recent SOC 2 Type II report (or Type I if that is all that exists) and confirm the report date and scope (which systems, services and geographical regions are covered).
• Request the auditor identity and the period covered by the report. Confirm whether the report contains any exceptions and how the vendor has remediated them.
• Request the vendor's security whitepaper or summary of controls (encryption practices, key management, access control model) to understand how AES-256 and other controls are applied in practice.
• Ask for the current sub-processor list (hosting partners such as AWS or Rackspace were referenced on the main page) and confirmation that the SOC 2 scope includes those sub-processors or how their risks are managed.

How to evaluate the report:

• Confirm the report is Type II for ongoing operational effectiveness where possible; Type II covers a period and shows controls were tested over time.
• Check for control categories relevant to CRM use: security, availability and confidentiality, and whether privacy controls are also covered if data protection is a procurement requirement.
• Note any auditor qualifications, exceptions and management's response. Exceptions may require follow-up questions about remediation timelines and compensating controls.

Follow-up procurement actions:

• If the SOC 2 report is not provided or is out of date, require the vendor to provide a current report or a letter from the vendor describing compensating controls and timelines for delivering an updated audit.
• For enterprise buyers with specific data residency or compliance needs, request supplementary artifacts: penetration test summaries, encryption key management descriptions and the vendor’s Data Processing Addendum (DPA).

Sources and context: The client main page references SOC 2 and AES-256 on its front page; the above steps are general procurement best practices to validate those claims. Source: https://www.pipedrive.com/.